Information processing system, program, and MaaS system for avoiding congestion

Abstract

To provide a novel technology.SOLUTION: According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an information processing system is provided. In an acquisition step of the information processing system, user information containing position information on a user and a movement purpose of the user is acquired. In a determination step, a movement route is determined on the basis of the user information and reference information. The reference information is information indicating movability relating to the movement purpose. In a display step, a movement instruction based on the movement route is displayed. In a management step, when movement according to the movement instruction is not performed, usage of a prescribed application or at least a part of its function is restricted to the user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing system, a program, and a privacy avoidance MaaS system.

Background Art

[0002] MaaS (Mobility as a Service) is a service that meets the mobility needs of each user by optimally combining various services including public transportation. Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle management system that provides MaaS.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Here, further technological development is desired for the spread of MaaS.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, the present disclosure aims to provide a new technology.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an information processing system is provided. In the acquisition step of this information processing system, user information including the user's location information and the user's purpose of movement is acquired. In the determination step, a movement route is determined based on the user information and reference information. The reference information is information indicating mobility related to the purpose of movement. In the display step, a movement instruction based on the movement route is displayed. In the management step, when the movement according to the movement instruction is not performed, at least a part of the use of a predetermined application or its function is restricted for the user.

[0007] This disclosure provides novel technologies. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the control unit 23 in the information processing device 2 according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This shows an example of the GUI displayed on user terminal 3. [Figure 4] This is an activity diagram showing an example of the processing flow performed by Information Processing System 1. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of user information 6. [Figure 6] This shows an example of the GUI displayed on user terminal 3. [Figure 7] This is a diagram showing an example of inventory information 721. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of availability information 722. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of a travel path 9 determined by the determination unit 232. [Figure 10] This figure shows an example of a travel path 9 determined based on attribute information 62. [Figure 11] This figure shows an example of a travel route 9 that passes through the first available location 81b. [Figure 12] This figure shows an example of a travel route 9 that passes through the second available location 82. [Figure 13] This figure shows the new travel route 9 that was changed after the start of the movement. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. The various features shown in the embodiments below are interchangeable.

[0010] Incidentally, the program for implementing the software appearing in this embodiment may be provided as a non-transitory computer-readable medium, or it may be provided so that it can be downloaded from an external server, or it may be provided so that the program is launched on an external computer and its functions are realized on a client terminal (so-called cloud computing).

[0011] Furthermore, in this embodiment, "part" may include, for example, hardware resources implemented by circuits in a broad sense, and the information processing of software that can be specifically realized by these hardware resources. In addition, various types of information are handled in this embodiment, and these types of information can be represented, for example, by the physical values ​​of signal values ​​representing voltage and current, the high or low values ​​of signal values ​​as a set of binary bits composed of 0s or 1s, or by quantum superposition (so-called qubits), and communication and calculations can be performed on circuits in a broad sense.

[0012] Furthermore, a circuit in a broad sense is a circuit realized by combining at least a suitable combination of circuits, circuits, processors, and memory. In other words, it includes application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (for example, simple programmable logic devices (SPLDs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)), etc.

[0013] [Embodiment] 1. Game Description FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of an information processing system 1 according to the present embodiment. In the information processing system 1 shown in FIG. 1, an information processing apparatus 2, a plurality of user terminals 3, and a plurality of store terminals 5 are connected to each other via a communication network 11 so as to be communicable, and a game can be executed on the user terminal 3.

[0014] The game according to the present embodiment is an online game executed on the information processing system 1. In this game, a user of the user terminal 3 makes one or a plurality of player characters act in a virtual game space, or makes the player character fight against an enemy character which is a non-player character. Also, a character is an example of an object. That is, the user in the present embodiment is a user who plays the game.

[0015] The game as described above is executed using the user terminal 3 which is an electronic device such as a home game machine such as PlayStation (registered trademark), a portable game machine such as Nintendo Switch (registered trademark), or a personal computer, a smartphone, a tablet terminal.

[0016] 2. Outline of Information Processing System 1 As shown in FIG. 1, the information processing system 1 includes an information processing apparatus 2, a plurality of user terminals 3, and a plurality of store terminals 5. The information processing apparatus 2 stores a game program and game data, and manages the game data of the user terminal 3 (for each of the following account information). The information processing apparatus 2 is configured by, for example, a server. Each of the plurality of user terminals 3 has the same configuration as each other.

[0017] User terminal 3 executes a predetermined game based on user input. To do this, user terminal 3 receives (specifically downloads and installs) the game program and game data from information processing device 2 via the communication network 11. Each user is assigned account information, including identification information and a password, associated with user terminal 3. This account information is transmitted from user terminal 3 to information processing device 2 during login and is used for user authentication in information processing device 2.

[0018] After user authentication, communication between the information processing device 2 and the user terminal 3 becomes possible. After logging in, the user terminal 3 receives data necessary for game progression (data related to game progress) from the information processing device 2, and proceeds with the game while outputting game images and sounds to the display 4a and speaker 4b based on the user's input.

[0019] 2.1 Hardware Configuration The hardware configuration of Information Processing System 1 will be described below with reference to Figure 1.

[0020] <Information Processing Device 2> As shown in Figure 1, the information processing device 2 includes a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a control unit 23. The communication unit 21 and the storage unit 22 are electrically connected to the control unit 23 via a communication bus 20.

[0021] The communication unit 21 is a so-called network interface that is connected to each user terminal 3 via a communication network 11 such as the Internet and LAN. The main information that the information processing device 2 receives via the communication unit 21 includes information on game program download requests, gacha lottery requests in response to user operations, quest execution requests, auto-play execution / termination requests, account information, and game data. The main information that the information processing device 2 transmits via the communication unit 21 includes information to confirm that the user terminal 3 has received the game program, and information regarding game media obtained through gacha.

[0022] The storage unit 22 consists of an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), and SSD (Solid State Drive), among others. The storage unit 22 stores various programs, including a part of the game program according to this embodiment, and various data related to the game.

[0023] Specifically, for example, the memory unit 22 stores a user database and a lottery list. The user database stores information such as the username, user rank, status of the player character controlled by the user, the amount of consumable medium usable in the virtual game space, and parameter information, associated with each user's identification number who plays the game. The lottery list is used for a lottery process commonly known as gacha, and contains information about multiple game mediums to be selected. The lottery list associates information about the game medium (name, ability parameters, rarity, level, etc.) with the selection rate in the lottery. Ability parameters, for example, when the game medium is a player character, include combat power, HP, attack power, defense power, intelligence, or speed.

[0024] The control unit 23 is composed of a microcomputer including a CPU and semiconductor memory, and controls the operation of the information processing device 2, which is itself. In particular, the control unit 23 realizes various functions related to the information processing device 2 by reading predetermined programs stored in the storage unit 22. That is, information processing by software stored in the storage unit 22 is concretely realized by the control unit 23, which is an example of hardware, so that each of the functions described later can be executed. Note that the control unit 23 is not limited to being a single unit, and may be implemented with multiple control units 23 for each function, or a combination thereof.

[0025] Information processing performed by the control unit 23 includes, for example, payment processing for charges, user account authentication processing, and gacha lottery selection processing. Payment processing for charges is performed, for example, based on a request for payment necessary to restore a predetermined amount of parameters in the game. User account authentication processing is performed, for example, using user identification information received from the user terminal 3. Gacha lottery selection processing is the process of selecting one or more game media from a lottery list based on the selection probability for each game media, in response to a gacha lottery request. According to the gacha lottery selection processing, information about the selected game media and the identification information of the user who performed the operation that sent the lottery request are associated in the user DB, and as a result, the user is assigned the game media that they won as a result of drawing the gacha themselves.

[0026] To further elaborate on the above, "game media" refers to electronic data representing elements related to a game, including the name of the character used as the player character, and items (weapons, armor, tools) that the player character uses in the virtual game space. Users can obtain game media through direct purchase via in-app purchases, completing quests, or through a lottery method called gacha. Acquired game media are stored and managed in the user database, associated with the identification information of the user who acquired that game media. Furthermore, "gacha" is a method by which the information processing device 2 randomly selects any game media from a lottery list based on a predetermined selection ratio. The selected game media is assigned to the user's user terminal 3. "Assigning / Having the user own the game media selected by gacha" is synonymous with "associating / being associated with the game media selected in the lottery process with the user's identification information."

[0027] <User Terminal 3> The user terminal 3 has a display 4a, a speaker 4b, and an input device 4c, which are either externally connected or built-in. The user terminal 3 also has a communication unit 31, a storage unit 32, a control unit 33, a graphics processing unit 34a, an audio processing unit 34b, and an operation unit 34c. The communication unit 31, storage unit 32, graphics processing unit 34a, audio processing unit 34b, and operation unit 34c are electrically connected to the control unit 33 via a communication bus 30.

[0028] The communication unit 31 is a so-called network interface that is connected to the communication network 11 in a communicative manner for sending and receiving various data between the user terminal 3 and the information processing device 2. The main information that the user terminal 3 receives via the communication unit 31 includes account information, new game data download request information, gacha execution requests, and quest execution requests. The main information that the user terminal 3 transmits via the communication unit 31 includes new game data sent from the information processing device 2 in response to download request information, and information regarding the game medium selected by the lottery process.

[0029] In particular, the user terminal 3 is configured to acquire location information 60 via the communication unit 31. Furthermore, when making a payment using various applications for public transportation or stores that provide goods or services, the user terminal 3 is configured to send and receive payment date and time, payment location, payment amount, etc., with other information processing devices.

[0030] The storage unit 32 consists of an HDD, SSD, RAM, and ROM. The storage unit 32 stores game data downloaded from the information processing device 2, various programs including parts of the game program, account information for the user terminal 3 (which is the device itself), and user information 6. User information 6 is at least a part of the information in the user database stored in the storage unit 22 of the information processing device 2. The user database manages the master of user information 6, and the storage unit 32 of the user terminal 3 receives at least a part of this master information from the information processing device 2 and stores it. Each item included in user information 6 can be entered by the user by operating the input device 4c, but user information 6 may also be obtained by communication with an external server.

[0031] The control unit 33 is composed of a microcomputer including a CPU and semiconductor memory, and controls the operation of the user terminal 3, which is the device itself. In particular, the control unit 33 realizes various functions related to the user terminal 3 by reading predetermined programs stored in the storage unit 32. That is, information processing by software stored in the storage unit 32 is concretely realized by the control unit 33, which is an example of hardware, so that each of the functions described later can be executed. Note that the control unit 33 is not limited to being a single unit, and may be implemented with multiple control units 33 for each function, or a combination thereof.

[0032] In particular, the control unit 33 is configured to execute the game according to the operation of the input device 4c by the user of the user terminal 3, which is itself the device. Specifically, the control unit 33 generates two-dimensional or three-dimensional game image information using data such as virtual game space objects and textures included in the game data, read from the storage unit 32, or data received from the information processing device 2. As the game image information is processed by the graphics processing unit 34a, the processed game images are sequentially displayed on the display 4a. In other words, when executing the game, the control unit 33 is configured to control the display of the display 4a and the audio output of the speaker 4b according to the operation of the user of the user terminal 3, which is itself the device.

[0033] The graphics processing unit 34a renders game images, including characters and various objects related to the virtual game space, in video format according to the game image information output from the control unit 33. The graphics processing unit 34a is connected to a display 4a, for example, an LCD type, and the game images rendered in video format are displayed on the display 4a as the game screen. The audio processing unit 34b is connected to a speaker 4b and, according to the instructions of the control unit 33, plays and synthesizes game sounds, which are then output from the speaker 4b. The operation unit 34c is connected to an input device 4c and transmits and receives data related to operation inputs to and from the input device 4c. The user inputs operation signals to the user terminal 3 by operating the input device 4c. The input device 4c is a general term for a touch panel integrated with the display 4a, an external gamepad, a mouse, a keyboard, etc.

[0034] <Store Terminal 5> The store terminal 5 is a terminal capable of transmitting the handling status 72 of the provision location 8, which provides goods or services (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "goods, etc.") to the information processing device 2 via the communication network 11. For example, the store terminal 5 is a terminal installed at the provision location 8 of goods, etc. Also, for example, the store terminal 5 is a terminal capable of communicating with a terminal managed at the provision location 8 where goods, etc. are provided. The store terminal 5 has a communication unit, a storage unit, and a control unit, and the communication unit and storage unit are electrically connected to the control unit via a communication bus.

[0035] Here, the provision location 8 includes, for example, retail stores such as supermarkets, convenience stores, bookstores, and pharmacies; stores such as beauty salons and esthetic salons that provide beauty services to users; restaurants such as cafes and restaurants; electronics retailers; hospitals, etc. However, it is not limited to these, and includes any facility (place) where goods, etc. can be provided to users. Furthermore, provision location 8 also includes cases where the provision location 8 that provides goods, etc. also serves as the store terminal 5. In this case, the store terminal 5 is a vending machine, coin locker, work booth, etc. Moreover, the store terminal 5 may be a server that manages the handling status 72 of the provision location 8. Examples of this include rental management servers for parking lots, rental offices, shared bicycles, etc.

[0036] Furthermore, it is preferable that cameras be installed around the entrances and exits of each service location 8, as well as inside and outside the facility. Images captured by the cameras are transmitted to the information processing device 2 via the communication network 11. In this case, the captured images may also be transmitted to an external server via the communication network 11. Alternatively, the external server may analyze the congestion status 71 around the service location 8 and inside the facility from the captured images and transmit the analysis results to the information processing device 2.

[0037] The storage unit of the store terminal 5 stores the handling status of goods, etc. 72 at the distribution location 8. For details on the communication unit, storage unit, and control unit, please refer to the descriptions of the communication unit 21, storage unit 22, and control unit 23 in the information processing device 2.

[0038] 2.2 Functional Configuration Next, the functional configuration of the control unit 23 of the information processing device 2 will be described. Here, the system according to this embodiment is realized by the information processing system 1, and in particular by the control unit 23.

[0039] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the control unit 23 in the information processing apparatus 2 according to this embodiment. The control unit 23 functions as an acquisition unit 231, a determination unit 232, a display control unit 233, a management unit 234, and a game control unit 235 by executing various programs stored in the storage unit 22. In other words, information processing by software stored in the storage unit 22 is specifically realized by the control unit 23, which is an example of hardware, and can be executed as each functional unit included in the control unit 23.

[0040] The acquisition unit 231 is configured to perform the acquisition step. In the acquisition step, the acquisition unit 231 is configured to acquire information via the communication unit 21 or the storage unit 22 and to read it into the working memory. In particular, the acquisition unit 231 is configured to acquire various types of information via the communication network 11 and the communication unit 21. In this embodiment, the various types of information acquired by the acquisition unit 231 are described as being stored in the storage unit 22.

[0041] In particular, the acquisition unit 231 acquires user information 6 from the user terminal 3. The acquisition unit 231 also acquires inventory information 721 and availability information 722 for goods or services from the store terminal 5. The inventory information 721 and availability information 722 are stored in the storage unit 22 as reference information 7. The acquisition unit 231 also acquires information indicating road congestion status 71 from an external server (not shown), such as a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System). The information indicating congestion status 71 includes traffic congestion information, accident information, construction information, speed limit and lane restriction information.

[0042] The acquisition unit 231 can also acquire weather information from an external server (not shown). Specifically, the acquisition unit 231 acquires weather information from a predetermined weather information service (server) via an internet connection or the like. The weather information includes weather forecasts, as well as wind speed, wind direction, temperature information, disaster occurrence predictions, various warnings such as heavy rain risk, typhoon information, and forecasts and current situation data.

[0043] The acquisition unit 231 may acquire incident information from an external server (not shown). Specifically, the acquisition unit 231 acquires incident information via the internet from crime prevention applications provided by public institutions, SNS (Social Networking Service) servers such as Twitter®, etc. Incident information includes the time the incident occurred, the details of the incident, the status of the incident's resolution, etc. Furthermore, it is preferable for the acquisition unit 231 to acquire a map database capable of identifying children's school routes.

[0044] The acquisition unit 231 may acquire shadow information from an external server (not shown). Specifically, the acquisition unit 231 acquires shadow information from a shadow simulation system. Alternatively, the acquisition unit 231 may acquire a map database containing 3D images of buildings, etc. In this case, the display control unit 233 executes a shadow simulation using the acquired map database and date and time information, and stores the simulation results as shadow information.

[0045] The acquisition unit 231 may acquire event information from an external server (not shown) to be held at a designated venue. The event information includes the date and time, content, location, and capacity of the event held at a venue such as an entertainment hall. For example, if the event is a sports match, the acquisition unit 231 acquires match information such as the match schedule (including entry time, start time, and end time), the match venue, the opposing teams or players, and the match results.

[0046] The decision unit 232 is configured to execute the decision step. In the decision step, the decision unit 232 determines the travel route 9 to the destination 92 based on the user information 6 and the reference information 7. Details will be described later.

[0047] The display control unit 233 is configured to execute the display step. In the display step, the display control unit 233 causes the display of various information stored in the storage unit 32, or screens containing such information, in a manner that can be viewed on the user terminal 3. Specifically, the display control unit 233 controls the display of visual information such as screens, images, icons 800, and messages on the display unit of the user terminal 3. The display control unit 233 may generate only rendering information for displaying the visual information on the user terminal 3.

[0048] The management unit 234 is configured to execute management steps. In the management steps, the management unit 234 controls the use of a predetermined application or its functions based on movement instructions and the user's location information 60. Specifically, if movement is not performed in accordance with the movement instructions, the management unit 234 restricts the user from using the predetermined application or at least a part of its functions. If the predetermined application is a game, the management unit 234 causes the game control unit 235 to control the game's functions. Further details will be described later.

[0049] The game control unit 235 is configured to execute game control steps. In the game control steps, the game control unit 235 is configured to control the operation of the game. Details will be described later.

[0050] 3. Application Overview This section describes applications that can be executed on the user terminal 3 by the information processing system 1. As an example of a preferred application to be executed on the user terminal 3, a game that utilizes the user's location information 60 will be used as an example. Figure 3 shows an example of a GUI displayed on the user terminal 3.

[0051] The game control unit 235 can execute game events by associating the travel route 9 from the starting point 91 to the destination 92 with the user's location information 60. First, based on the user information 6, the game control unit 235 determines the group to which the character controlled by the user belongs, and the attributes or types of characters that the user can control. When the user arrives at the starting point 91, or starts moving from the starting point 91, the game control unit 235 starts the quest. The starting point 91 is the starting point in the virtual space.

[0052] When the user begins to move, the game control unit 235 displays the movement instructions and missions corresponding to the movement objective 61, as shown in Figure 3. For example, the missions displayed might be "Please go to the post office" or "Please buy manga Z." In other words, along the way to the destination 92, the movement instructions are displayed as missions in the game, and the user can complete the missions by moving according to the instructions. The game control unit 235 can adjust the number of missions according to the time required to reach the destination 92, for example, by giving more missions if the time required to reach the destination 92 is long.

[0053] Furthermore, the game control unit 235 changes the content of the mission according to the congestion level 71 of the travel route 9. For example, if the travel route 9 is changed during travel and the user travels along a congested route, it displays the message, "Please move slowly and keep your distance from those around you."

[0054] Then, when the user arrives at destination 92, the game control unit 235 initiates a battle with the boss character, and the quest is completed when the boss character is defeated.

[0055] 4. Operation of Information Processing System 1 This section describes the information processing method of the aforementioned information processing system 1.

[0056] 4.1 Overview of Information Processing Figure 4 is an activity diagram showing an example of the processing flow performed by Information Processing System 1. The information processing flow will be outlined below, following this activity diagram.

[0057] First, the user operating the user terminal 3 inputs user information 6, including the purpose of travel 61 (A1).

[0058] The following explanation uses the example where the entered purpose of travel 61 is "to participate in a children's event held at event venue X." In addition, pre-registerable user information 6 includes the products the user requests, i.e., the things the user wants. Here, we assume that "Game device Y (new)" is set as the desired item. At this time, pre-registerable user information 6 includes not only products to be purchased, but also products to be rented and services to be received. Furthermore, products to be purchased include not only specific product names, but also cases where the type of product is entered without specifying a product name. In addition, user information 6 includes attribute information 62 that indicates the user's attributes. Here, we assume that attribute information 62 is entered as "has dependents" and "has children with them."

[0059] The user information 6, including the entered travel purpose 61 and attribute information 62, is transmitted to the information processing device 2 via the communication network 11. The user's current location is assumed to be continuously transmitted to the information processing device 2. Furthermore, "today" is assumed to be April 1, 2021.

[0060] Next, the acquisition unit 231 acquires user information 6, which includes the user's location information 60 transmitted from the user terminal 3, the user's purpose of travel 61, and the goods or services the user requests, via the communication network 11 and the communication unit 21 (A2).

[0061] Next, the decision unit 232 determines a destination 92 that can achieve the acquired travel purpose 61. Specifically, the decision unit 232 determines event venue X as the destination 92 based on the words and sentences contained in the travel purpose 61 ("to participate in a children's event held at event venue X"). (A3)

[0062] Next, the decision unit 232 refers to the availability status 72 of the goods or services at the provision location 8 where the goods or services requested by the user are provided (A4). Specifically, the decision unit 232 refers to the current inventory information 721 of "game device Y" at the store (provision location 8) that sells the "game device Y" that the user requests to purchase. In this case, if the goods or services requested by the user are "rental of goods," the decision unit 232 refers to the availability information 722 indicating the rental status of the goods at the store that rents them. On the other hand, if it is "provision of services," the decision unit 232 refers to the availability information 722 indicating the current reservation status, etc., of the store that provides the service.

[0063] Here, if there are no stores with "Game Device Y" in stock within a predetermined range from the user's current location or a location specified by the user, the decision unit 232 refers to the availability status 72 of stores that sell similar products to "Game Device Y" (A5). "Similar products" include products with the same name but different conditions or transaction methods. For example, if there are no stores with new "Game Device Y" in stock, the decision unit 232 refers to the current inventory information 721 of stores that sell used "Game Device Y". Also, for example, the decision unit 232 refers to the current availability information 722 of stores that rent "Game Device Y". Hereinafter, a provision location 8 that can provide similar products to the product requested by the user or similar services to the service requested by the user will be referred to as a second provision location 82.

[0064] If there are multiple stores that have used "Game Device Y" in stock, or if there are multiple stores that currently have "Game Device Y" available for rent, the display control unit 233 displays these stores (second available locations 82) as candidates for transit points, allowing the user to select them (A6).

[0065] Then, the user selects at least one from the presented candidates, and the (A7) acquisition unit 231 receives the selection result. At this time, multiple stores (second available locations 82) may be selected from the candidates.

[0066] On the other hand, if the decision unit 232 has "game device Y" in stock within a predetermined range from the user's current location or a location specified by the user, it determines that store as a first available location 81 where the product or service requested by the user can be provided at that time, and sets that store as a transit point. In this way, the decision unit 232 determines the travel route 9 to the first available location 81 where the product or service requested by the user can be provided at that time, based on the user information 6 and the availability status 72 of the product or service at the product or service provision location 8.

[0067] At this time, if there are multiple stores within a predetermined range that have "Game Device Y" in stock, the decision unit 232 determines the store that satisfies predetermined conditions as the destination 92 to be passed through during the journey. Predetermined conditions include, for example, that the price of "Game Device Y" is cheaper than that of any other store, or that the stock of "Game Device Y" is cheaper than that of any other store. If there are multiple conditions, priority can be set in advance, and the user can select in advance which conditions should be met.

[0068] In other words, if there are multiple first available locations 81 within a predetermined range from the user's current location or a location specified by the user, the decision unit 232 determines a travel route 9 by selecting a first available location 81 that satisfies predetermined conditions from among those first available locations 81 as a destination 92 (waypoint) to be visited by the user. The predetermined conditions include, for example, that the price of the goods or services is cheaper than any of the other first available locations 81. Also, for example, that the inventory of goods is greater than any of the other first available locations 81, and that the available supply of goods or services is greater than any of the other first available locations 81, and at least one of these conditions.

[0069] On the other hand, if there is no first available location 81 that can currently provide the product requested by the user, the determination unit 232 determines a store that provides similar products as a second available location 82 and sets it as an intermediate stop. That is, if there is no first available location 81 within a predetermined range from the user's current location or a location specified by the user, the display control unit 233 displays the second available location 82 for the user to select, and the acquisition unit 231 accepts the selection result. The determination unit 232 then determines the travel route 9 with the second available location 82 selected by the user as the destination 92.

[0070] Next, the decision unit 232 determines the travel route 9 based on the user information 6 and the reference information 7. Specifically, the decision unit 232 refers to the congestion status 71 (reference information 7) and attribute information 62 along the route from the vicinity of the user's departure point 91 to the vicinity of the destination 92 (A9).

[0071] Next, the decision unit 232 determines a travel route 9 from the departure point 91 to the destination 92 so that the user can move while avoiding congestion. The decision unit 232 can also determine the travel route 9 by further considering the user's attribute information 62. For example, based on the attribute information 62, the decision unit 232 determines a travel route 9 in which users with predetermined attributes can come into contact with each other, or a travel route 9 in which users with predetermined attributes cannot come into contact with each other (A10). Specifically, when determining a travel route 9 so that users with the same attributes can come into contact with each other, the decision unit prioritizes the route in which the most users with the same attributes are located among the candidate travel routes 9 to the destination 92 and determines it as the travel route 9. In this way, the decision unit 232 determines the travel route 9 based on the attribute information 62 and the congestion status 71. With this configuration, when a user moves to the destination 92, it is possible to prioritize using less congested passages and to guide the user to a more optimized travel route 9 according to the user's attributes.

[0072] Next, the display control unit 233 displays a movement instruction based on the determined movement path 9 on the user terminal 3 (A11). The user begins moving according to the movement instruction. At the same time, the game control unit 235 starts the in-game quest (A12).

[0073] The game control unit 235 displays at least one of the movement instructions to be shown on the user terminal 3 as a "mission." In this case, the mission is an action related to achieving the movement objective 61, such as "travel to the post office 100m away," "arrive at the waypoint," "purchase game device Y," or "take a 10-minute break at the waypoint."

[0074] Next, the user follows the movement instructions, arrives at a transit point, and purchases "Game Device Y" (A14 and A15). In this case, the game control unit 235 considers the mission to be completed and proceeds with the game (A16).

[0075] Here, after the decision unit 232 has started moving again (A17), it can change the travel route 9 based on the reference information 7 (congestion status 71). Specifically, even if the decision unit 232 has started moving based on a travel instruction, it can refer to the congestion status 71 (A18) and change the travel route 9 (A19). For example, if the congestion level of the determined travel route 9 exceeds a threshold due to the passage of time, the decision unit 232 changes the travel route 9a, and the display control unit 233 displays a travel instruction to the user terminal 3 to move along the newly determined travel route 9 (A20). As a result, the decision unit 232 can change the travel route 9 at any time based on the latest congestion status 71.

[0076] If the user fails to move according to the movement instructions before arriving at destination 92, the management unit 234 restricts the user from using a predetermined application or at least a part of its functions. If the application is a game, the management unit 234 instructs the game control unit 235 to stop the game (A21). For example, if the user fails to move according to the movement instructions, the game control unit 235 stops the game by controlling the user to start a battle with an enemy character and take damage, or by executing processes such as causing an ally character to suffer a status ailment.

[0077] On the other hand, if the player moves according to the movement instructions, the game control unit 235 can award the reward for completing the mission (A22). Here, "if the player does not move according to the movement instructions" specifically means that the player takes a path that deviates from the movement route 9 specified in the movement instructions. The management unit 234 does not impose any restrictions on functions, etc., if the player moves according to the movement instructions.

[0078] Then, when the user arrives at destination 92 (A23), the game control unit 235 terminates the quest (A24).

[0079] In summary, the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment comprises the following components: The acquisition unit 231 acquires user information 6, which includes the user's location information 60 and the user's purpose of movement 61. The determination unit 232 determines the movement path 9 based on the user information 6 and reference information 7. The reference information 7 is information indicating mobility related to the purpose of movement 61. The display control unit 233 displays a movement instruction based on the movement path 9. If movement is not carried out in accordance with the movement instruction, the management unit 234 restricts the user from using a predetermined application or at least a part of its functions.

[0080] In another embodiment, the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment comprises the following components: The acquisition unit 231 acquires user information 6, which includes the user's location information 60 and the goods or services the user requests. The determination unit 232 determines a travel route 9 to a first available location 81 where the goods or services requested by the user can be provided at the present time, based on the user information 6 and the availability status 72 of the goods or services at the provision location 8 where the goods or services are provided. The availability status 72 indicates at least one of the following: product inventory information 721 and availability information 722 indicating whether the goods or services are currently available. The display control unit 233 displays a travel instruction based on the travel route 9.

[0081] Furthermore, according to another embodiment, the congestion avoidance MaaS system (information processing system 1) according to this embodiment comprises the following components: The acquisition unit 231 acquires user information 6, which includes the user's location information 60 and the user's purpose of movement 61. The purpose of movement 61 includes at least one of purchasing goods and using goods or services. The determination unit 232 determines a movement route 9 that can smoothly achieve the purpose of movement 61 based on the user information 6 and MaaS reference information (reference information 7). The MaaS reference information (reference information 7) is information indicating mobility related to the purpose of movement 61. The display control unit 233 displays a movement instruction based on the movement route 9.

[0082] These configurations provide users with an incentive to avoid application functional limitations by following movement instructions, and promote crowd avoidance by encouraging users to travel along movement routes 9 designed to avoid congestion. Furthermore, since movement routes 9 are shown based on the availability of goods 72, users can be assured of obtaining the goods they desire, avoiding situations such as arriving at a store only to find the goods out of stock, and enabling efficient travel. In addition, in situations such as travel, where a user has heavy luggage and wants to leave it in a coin locker before heading to a tourist spot, this configuration allows for a smooth travel by showing a movement route 9 that includes a stop at a coin locker before heading to the tourist spot.

[0083] 4.2 Details of Information Processing Next, we will explain the details of the information processing outlined above, referring to Figures 5 to 13.

[0084] <User Information 6> Figure 5 shows an example of user information 6. As shown in Figure 5, the user ID and name that identify the user, as well as attribute information 62 such as age, gender, marital status, dependent status, occupation, etc., entered by the user terminal 3, and purpose of travel 61, are linked to each user.

[0085] The purpose of travel 61 is, for example, a specification of an errand the user wants to run in the future, something the user wants to buy, or a service the user wants to receive.

[0086] Figure 6 shows an example of a GUI displayed on the user terminal 3. As shown in Figure 6, the display control unit 233 displays a user information input screen 6, as shown in Figure 6, on the user terminal 3. The user operating the user terminal 3 then inputs user information 6, such as the purpose of travel 61 and attribute information 62. In the example in Figure 6, an example of the purpose of travel 61 is "Participation in an event held at event venue X," and examples of items the user wants to purchase are "Purchase of game device Y" and "Manga Z."

[0087] If the words or sentences included in the travel purpose 61 do not specify a particular destination 92, the determination unit 232 accesses an external server and identifies a destination 92 that matches the travel purpose 61 by matching the date and words. For example, if the travel purpose 61 scheduled for today includes the name of an event, the determination unit 232 can access an external server and identify the location of the event by matching the event name with the date on which the event will be held.

[0088] Furthermore, if the acquired user information 6 includes a type of product that the user wants, the determination unit 232 determines the specific product name corresponding to that type. Specifically, the determination unit 232 identifies the specific product name corresponding to that type by accessing an external server to search for representative products or by referring to the user's purchase history stored in the storage unit 22.

[0089] Furthermore, the management unit 234 manages a portion of the user information 6 as attribute information 62. Attribute information 62 includes, for example, name, age, gender, marital status, dependents, occupation, affiliated organization, smoking status, criminal record, hobbies and preferences, etc. Hobbies and preferences include liking a certain type of candy A / B, being a supporter (fan) of a certain professional sports team, preferring sunny or shady spots, etc. In addition, the acquisition unit 231 acquires attribute information 62 entered into the user terminal 3, and can also acquire attribute information 62 using an external API (Application Programming Interface).

[0090] <Handling Status 72> The handling status 72 indicates at least one of the following: product inventory information 721 and availability information 722 indicating the current availability of the product or service. Figure 7 shows an example of inventory information 721. In the example in Figure 7, inventory information 721 for a vending machine as of 11:45 AM on April 1, 2021 is shown. Inventory information 721 includes the selling price of each product, the current stock quantity, the maximum replenishment limit for the product, the next expected arrival date, etc.

[0091] Figure 8 shows an example of availability information 722. In the example in Figure 8, the usage status of each coin locker installed around Ueno Station and Uguisudani Station is shown. As shown in Figure 8, availability information 722 includes not only whether the product or service is available, but also the current available slots relative to the maximum available slots. In Figure 8, coin lockers are used as an example of a service, but if it is a parking area, it will include information on full occupancy and available slots, and if it is a hair salon, it will include reservation status.

[0092] <Congestion Status 71> Reference information 7 is information indicating mobility related to the purpose of travel 61, and includes congestion status 71. In this embodiment, reference information 7 may be referred to as MaaS reference information. Figure 9 is a diagram showing an example of a travel route 9 determined by the determination unit 232. In the example in Figure 9, the display of the road is shown differently depending on the degree of congestion. Specifically, roads with a darker color compared to other roads indicate that there is a lot of pedestrian traffic and the road is congested. Roads with a lighter color compared to other roads indicate that the road is not congested and can be traveled smoothly.

[0093] For example, if the congestion level of 71 is expressed numerically, it will be represented by the indicators shown in Table 1 below. [Table 1] When the above indicators are mapped to Figure 9, roads with a congestion level of 3.00 or higher are displayed in the darkest color, while roads with a congestion level of 1.00 or lower are displayed in the lightest color.

[0094] <Decision on destination 92> If the task to be accomplished is "purchase of goods," the decision unit 232 refers to the inventory information 721 of stores that sell those goods and determines the store that currently has the goods in stock as the destination 92. On the other hand, if the task to be accomplished is "rental of goods," the decision unit 232 refers to the availability information 722 of stores that rent those goods and determines the store that currently has the goods the user wants to rent as the destination 92. If the task to be accomplished is "receive of services," the decision unit 232 refers to the availability information 722 of stores that provide those services and determines the store that currently has the services the user wants to provide available, such as having availability for reservations, as the destination 92.

[0095] <Determination of travel path 9> Here, assuming that the user's current location is in the northwest of the map shown in Figure 9, that this is the starting point 91, that there are no intermediate stops, and that the destination 92 is "Event Venue X", we will further explain how to determine the travel route 9.

[0096] The decision unit 232 determines the travel route 9 from the departure point 91 to the destination 92 based on the traffic congestion status 71 of the roads that could be part of the travel route 9, and selects the least congested road from the list of candidate routes. As shown in Figure 9, the decision unit 232 determines the travel route 9a to the destination 92 by avoiding the darker, more congested main roads and prioritizing the lighter-colored roads. At this time, the decision unit 232 does not necessarily determine the shortest route to the destination 92 as the travel route 9. In other words, the decision unit 232 determines the travel route 9 to be a less congested route, even if it is a longer route, as long as it allows the passenger to arrive at the destination 92 on time.

[0097] If the travel route 9 includes indoor areas, the determination unit 232 further refers to the indoor congestion status 71 and determines less congested entrances and passages as the travel route 9. Also, if public transportation such as trains is used to travel to the destination 92, the determination unit 232 determines the travel route 9 so that it passes through less congested vehicles, entrances, passages, etc.

[0098] <Determination of movement path 9 based on attributes> The decision unit 232 can determine the travel route 9 based on the attribute information 62. For example, if the user is a smoker, the decision unit 232 will determine the travel route 9 so that it passes through smoking areas. Also, if the user is a child, the decision unit 232 will determine the travel route 9 so that it prioritizes routes with little traffic, busy streets, streets with shops and streetlights, and roads with good visibility.

[0099] Figure 10 shows an example of a travel route 9 determined based on attribute information 62. In the example in Figure 10, icon 800 indicates the current location of a user with the attributes "no dependents" and "not with children". Icon 801 indicates the current location of a user with the attributes "has dependents", "has children", and "children are 10 years old or younger". Icon 802 indicates the current location of a user with the attributes "has dependents", "has children", and "children are 3 years old or younger".

[0100] When determining travel routes 9 so that users with the attributes of "having dependents" and "traveling with children" come into contact with each other, the determination unit 232 determines the travel route 9 as shown in Figure 10. Specifically, the determination unit 232 determines the travel route 9b from the departure point 91 to the destination 92 as the route to the destination 92, which is the route where the most users with the attributes of "having dependents" and "traveling with children" are located.

[0101] Here, when the decision unit 232 determines the travel route 9 based on the attribute information 62 and congestion status 71, it can set a threshold for the degree of congestion. For example, if the congestion level of a candidate road for the travel route 9 is less than 2.00, the decision unit 232 prioritizes the user's attributes when determining the travel route 9. Also, if the congestion level is 2.00 or higher, the decision unit 232 can set criteria for determining the travel route 9, such as prioritizing less congested roads without considering the attribute information 62, and assigning priority to the elements that determine the travel route 9. In this case, the criteria for determining the travel route 9 may be arbitrarily specified by the user. Here, "contact" refers to a situation where users meet each other because the current location of another user is included in the user's travel route 9. In other words, "users can contact each other" when there is a possibility of encountering a predetermined user by traveling along the designated travel route 9 according to the determined travel instructions.

[0102] <Determining transit points> Figure 11 shows an example of a travel route 9 that passes through the first available location 81b. If there are multiple first available locations 81, the determination unit 232 determines the travel route 9 with the first available location 81 that satisfies predetermined conditions as the destination 92. The predetermined conditions are, for example, that the price of the goods or services is cheaper than any of the other first available locations 81.

[0103] Here, we will explain using the example of a new "game device Y" that the user is requesting. In this case, we assume that there are two first available locations 81a and 81b, which are within a predetermined range from the user's current location or a location specified by the user, and that "game device Y" is currently in stock at these locations. Furthermore, we assume that "game device Y" is sold for 50,000 yen at first available location 81b and for 60,000 yen at first available location 81b. In this case, the decision unit 232 determines the travel route 9c as a destination 92 (intermediate point) to be visited at first available location 81b, which has a lower price than first available location 81a. In other words, the decision unit 232 determines the first available location 81, whose price of the product or service is lower than any of the other first available locations 81, as an intermediate point. This configuration allows users who want to purchase or rent goods at a lower price to do so without having to visit multiple stores in search of the cheapest option.

[0104] For example, the predetermined conditions are at least one of the following: the inventory of the product is greater than that of any other first available location 81, and the available supply of the product or service is greater than that of any other first available location 81. For example, suppose that the current inventory of "game device Y" at first available location 81a is 15 units, and the current inventory at first available location 81b is 6 units. In this case, the decision unit 232 sets first available location 81a, which has more inventory than first available location 81b, as the destination 92 (intermediate location). In other words, the decision unit 232 determines the first available location 81 with a greater inventory of the product than that of any other first available location 81 as the destination 92. Also, the decision unit 232 determines the first available location 81 with a greater available supply of the product or service than that of any other first available location 81 as the destination 92. Under this system, if a user wants to purchase a product, especially if it's an item that sells out quickly or if they want to purchase multiple items, they will go to a store with more stock, thus making it more likely they will obtain the product. Similarly, if a user wants to receive a service, they will go to a store with a larger availability limit, thus making it more likely they will receive the service.

[0105] <Selection of 82 second available locations> If the display control unit 233 does not have a first available location 81 within a predetermined range from the user's current location or a location specified by the user, it displays a second available location 82 for the user to select. The decision unit 232 then determines a travel route 9 with the second available location 82 selected by the user as the destination 92. Here, the second available location 82 is a location 8 that can provide similar products similar to the product the user requested or similar services similar to the service the user requested. Similar products are, for example, products of the same type as the product the user requested. Similar products also include products with the same product name but different states. Figure 12 shows an example of a travel route 9 via the second available location 82. For example, if the user requests to purchase "Game Device Y" and there is no stock at the first available location 81a and the second available location 82, the decision unit 232 presents the user with a travel route 9d via the second available location 82, which can provide "Game Device Yα" as a similar product.

[0106] Furthermore, if the congestion level 71 of the first available location 81 or the travel route 9 to the first available location 81 is above a threshold, the display control unit 233 displays at least one of the other first available locations 81 and the second available location 82 for the user to select. The decision unit 232 then determines the travel route 9 with the first available location 81 or the second available location 82 selected by the user as the destination 92. For example, if the congestion level of the first available location 81 or the travel route 9 to the first available location 81 is 3.00 or higher, the decision unit 232 determines the other first available location 81 or the second available location 82 as the destination 92 so that the user can travel while avoiding congestion. In this case, the congestion level of the other first available location 81 that will become the new destination 92, and the congestion level of the travel route 9 to the first available location 81, will be lower than that of the other second available location 82 that will become the new destination 92, and the congestion level of the travel route 9 to the second available location 82. Also, in this case as with the other examples, the decision unit 232 can determine the travel route 9 with at least one of the other first available location 81 and the second available location 82 as the destination 92 without asking the user to make a selection.

[0107] <Movement instructions> When a user is traveling on foot, directions are expressed using building names, directions, orientations, and distances traveled. For example, if the starting point 91 is Toranomon Station and the destination 92 is the Japan Patent Office, the travel route 9 would be expressed as "Toranomon Station > Proceed southwest for approximately 20m towards Sotobori Street > Go straight past the convenience store > Turn right past the restaurant on the right > ... > Japan Patent Office".

[0108] Furthermore, when a user travels by car or other vehicle, travel instructions are expressed using road names and intersection names. For example, if the starting point 91 is Osaka Station and the destination 92 is Tokyo Station, the travel instructions may be expressed as: "Osaka Station >...> Enter Hanshin Expressway Route 11 Ikeda Line / Route 11 > Use the two left lanes and turn left at Umeda Ramp East (intersection) (indicated as 11-03 / Umeda) >...> Enter Hanshin Expressway Route 11 Ikeda Line / Route 11 >...> Proceed on Metropolitan Expressway Route 3 Shibuya Line / Route 3 >...> Tokyo Station".

[0109] Furthermore, if a user is traveling by train from Osaka Station to Tokyo Station, the travel instructions would be expressed as "Osaka Station > Tokaido / Sanyo Main Line Local train bound for Takatsuki > Shin-Osaka Station > Tokaido / Sanyo Shinkansen Nozomi 22 bound for Tokyo > Shinagawa Station > Ueno-Tokyo Line Local train bound for Koganei > Tokyo Station." Travel instructions can be given not only by displaying the travel route 9 on the map screen shown on the user terminal 3, but also by communicating the travel route 9 by voice.

[0110] <Change to travel path 9> Here, Figure 13 shows the new travel route 9 after the start of travel. As shown in Figure 13, the decision unit 232 can change the travel route 9 if the congestion status 71 changes along the way and the congestion level of the travel route 9d exceeds a threshold. The display control unit 233 can also display a travel instruction to the user to move along the newly determined travel route 9e. The decision unit 232 can change the travel route 9 at any time based on the congestion status 71, even before the user starts moving. With this configuration, it is possible to guide the user to a more optimal travel route 9 based on the latest congestion status 71. The travel route 9 can be changed immediately after departing from the starting point 91, and the travel route 9 can also be changed at regular intervals.

[0111] [others] With respect to the information processing system 1 according to the above-described embodiment, the following embodiments may be adopted.

[0112] In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 231, the determination unit 232, the display control unit 233, the management unit 234, and the game control unit 235 are described as functional units realized by the control unit 23 of the information processing device 2. However, at least a part of these may be implemented as functional units realized by the control unit of the user terminal 3.

[0113] In the above embodiment, the purpose of travel 61 was shown to include purchasing goods, but it is not limited to this; the purpose may also include renting goods or receiving a specified service, such as "renting a book," "getting a haircut," or "getting a massage." In addition, along with the purpose of travel 61, the number of goods the user wants and the planned time for completing the purpose may also be specified.

[0114] The purpose of travel 61 may be a specified destination 92. The destination 92 can be specified by address or facility name, but it may also be entered into a map application executed by the user terminal 3 or an application used in a congestion avoidance MaaS (Mobility as a Service) system. Furthermore, the departure point 91 is preferably the user's current location, but any point entered by the user operating the user terminal 3 may be designated as the departure point 91. In this case, the departure point 91 can be specified by entering an address, place name, district, station, building name, latitude, longitude, etc. The user may also specify the estimated time of arrival at the destination 92.

[0115] The acquisition of attribute information 62 is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, attribute information 62 may be acquired by holding a user's account. Alternatively, the acquisition unit 231 may acquire the user's purchase history, allowing the management unit 234 to identify the user's attributes based on the purchase history and manage them as attribute information 62. The acquisition unit 231 may also acquire user information from an external server linked to the My Number system via an internet connection or the like, and manage it as attribute information 62.

[0116] The decision unit 232 may determine the travel route 9 based on hobbies and preferences (attribute information 62). In particular, the decision unit 232 can determine the travel route 9 based on event information and hobbies and preferences (attribute information 62). For example, let's consider a case where the user's travel purpose 61 is "to watch a game of professional baseball team T and professional baseball team G," and the destination 92, event venue X, is the game venue. The decision unit 232 determines the travel route 9 so that a user registered as a supporter of professional baseball team T and a user registered as a supporter of professional baseball team G will travel on different routes. For example, within the event venue X, the decision unit 232 determines that supporters of professional baseball team T and supporters of professional baseball team G will use different entrances and exits for their travel route 9. In other words, the decision unit 232 determines the travel route 9 so that supporters of the same professional baseball team will have priority contact with each other. Thus, the decision unit 232 may determine the travel route 9 by distinguishing the hobbies and preferences of users who have the same destination 92. With such a configuration, it is expected that interaction among users with the same hobbies and preferences will be promoted, making the event more exciting.

[0117] Furthermore, the decision unit 232 may determine the travel route 9 according to the outcome of the event. For example, suppose in the above example, professional baseball team T wins the game. In this case, supporters of the winning team tend to make detours to celebrate the victory (their mood may be heightened, leading to increased purchasing intent, etc.), so the decision unit 232 determines the travel route 9 so that supporters of professional baseball team T prioritize passing through streets lined with many restaurants and retail stores, and the entrances of large stores. At this time, the management unit 234 may issue discount coupons for the stores that supporters of professional baseball team T will visit, and the display control unit 233 may display the issued discount coupons.

[0118] On the other hand, supporters of a team that has lost a match tend to go straight home without making any detours (because their mood has soured and their desire to buy things has decreased), so it is preferable for the decision unit 232 to determine the shortest travel route 9 for supporters of professional baseball team G. At this time, the management unit 234 may issue discount coupons for souvenir shops to supporters of professional baseball team G, and the display control unit 233 may display the issued discount coupons. This configuration is expected to encourage users whose desire to buy things has increased because their favorite team has won a match to make detours, prevent troubles between users, and realize smoother travel.

[0119] Furthermore, the decision unit 232 may determine different travel routes 9 according to the user's hobbies and preferences, regardless of the outcome of the game. That is, regardless of the outcome of the game, the decision unit 232 may classify users who support the same team or group into the same group (attribute) and determine travel routes 9 for one group that will return home via the shortest route, and for another group that will make detours around the venue. This allows each group to travel while avoiding congestion.

[0120] Furthermore, the decision unit 232 may determine the travel route 9 based on the user's hobbies and preferences (attribute information 62) and inventory information 721. Specifically, the decision unit 232 determines the travel route 9 so that stores with a large inventory of products related to the user's hobbies and preferences are included in the route as a priority. For example, for a supporter of professional baseball team T, the decision unit 232 determines the travel route 9 so that stores with a large inventory of products related to professional baseball team T are included in the route as a priority. In this manner, a travel route 9 is determined that takes into account the user's hobbies and preferences and the product selection of stores along the way. The decision unit 232 may also determine the first available location 81 to be a store with a large inventory of products related to the user's hobbies and preferences, based on the user's hobbies and preferences (attribute information 62) and inventory information 721.

[0121] Furthermore, the decision unit 232 may determine the travel route 9 based on the location of the destination 92 and the location of the departure point 91 or the user's place of residence, regardless of the outcome of the game. Specifically, the decision unit 232 determines different travel routes 9 depending on whether the user arrived from outside a predetermined range from the location of the destination 92. For example, the decision unit 232 may determine a travel route 9 that goes through a souvenir shop for a user who arrived from outside the prefecture of the event venue X (a supporter of professional baseball team G). The management unit 234 may also issue a discount coupon for such a shop.

[0122] On the other hand, for users arriving from within a predetermined range from the destination 92, the decision unit 232 determines the shortest route 9 without taking a detour. For example, if event venue X is the home stadium of professional baseball team T, and a supporter of professional baseball team G arrives from the home town of professional baseball team G, the decision unit 232 will determine route 9 without passing through souvenir shops. The display control unit 233 may also cooperate with the local government where the destination 92 (event venue X) is located to display information about tourist attractions (for example, Osaka Castle), and the management unit 234 may distribute admission ticket coupons, etc.

[0123] Furthermore, the decision unit 232 may determine the travel route 9 by taking into account the last train time, the time required to return home, etc. This makes it possible to provide tourist model courses and information on transportation to be used when proposing travel routes 9 that include detours, taking into account the last train time, etc.

[0124] Furthermore, the decision unit 232 may work in conjunction with a matching app service (server) to match users with similar attributes and then decide on a destination 92 for them to visit. For example, the decision unit 232 may match supporters of a professional baseball team G that has won a game and decide on a restaurant as the destination 92 for a post-game get-together. By controlling people's movements in this manner, it is expected that not only will congestion be avoided, but opportunities for regional revitalization and people meeting each other will also be created.

[0125] User information 6 may include the user's preferences related to movement. Examples of user preferences related to movement include "I want to go up the stairs," "I want to avoid the stairs," "I want to avoid the slopes," "I'm in a hurry," "I want to make a detour," "I want to walk on a safe road," "I want to walk on a wide road," and "I want to walk on a road with little traffic." If a user has multiple preferences, they can be registered with priority. In addition, whether or not the user is seeking encounters, the names of people they want to avoid contact with, the names of organizations they want to avoid contact with, and menus such as dinner can also be pre-registered as user information 6. Furthermore, the user's purchase history, activity history, possessions, and the names of products owned at the user's home can also be registered as user information 6.

[0126] In the embodiment described above, the service location 8 was shown to be a store that provides goods, but the service location 8 may also be a vending machine that also serves as a store terminal 5, a coin locker, a work booth, etc.

[0127] The decision unit 232 may determine the travel route 9 based on weather information. For example, if it is raining, the decision unit 232 may determine the travel route 9 to prioritize indoor or underground routes to avoid the rain. For example, based on a flood warning, the decision unit 232 may determine the travel route 9 to avoid routes where flooding is likely to occur. For example, if the temperature in the area from the departure point 91 to the destination 92 exceeds a threshold, the decision unit 232 may determine the travel route 9 to prioritize roads with plenty of shade. This allows the user to travel while avoiding direct sunlight, for example, when the temperature is high. This makes it possible to suggest that it is safe to go outside.

[0128] Furthermore, if there is a school near the travel route 9, the decision unit 232 may determine the travel route 9 to prioritize the use of school routes in accordance with school commuting times. In this case, it is preferable that the decision unit 232 determines the travel route 9 so that users with childcare experience, such as those who "support children," prioritize the use of school routes. It is preferable that the decision unit 232 determines the travel route 9 to prioritize the use of school routes when the means of transportation is "on foot." On the other hand, it is preferable that the decision unit 232 determines the travel route 9 so that it does not use school routes when the means of transportation is "car" or "bicycle." By controlling the user's movement in this way, crimes and accidents can be prevented.

[0129] In the above-described embodiment, an example was shown in which the travel route 9 is determined so that users who are raising children can come into contact with each other. However, the determination unit 232 may also determine the travel route 9 so that single men and women who do not have spouses can come into contact with each other. Alternatively, the travel route 9 may be determined so that users of the same gender, the same occupation, or the same place of origin can come into contact with each other.

[0130] The decision unit 232 may determine the travel route 9 so that users with different attributes in predetermined combinations come into contact with each other. For example, the decision unit 232 may determine the travel route 9 so that users above a predetermined age (elderly people) and users below a predetermined age (young people) can come into contact with each other, based on the users' ages. Alternatively, for example, the decision unit 232 may determine the travel route 9 so that a student who is looking for a job and a user whose job is to recruit new graduates for a company can come into contact with each other.

[0131] The settings for determining which combinations of attributes will come into contact with each other when determining the travel route 9, and which combinations of attributes will not come into contact with each other when determining the travel route 9, may be predetermined. Alternatively, users may be able to set these settings arbitrarily. For example, if a user has registered the names of people or organizations they wish to avoid contact with in the input fields of user information 6 shown in Figure 5, the determination unit 232 will determine the travel route 9 based on user information 6 to avoid contact with the specified people or organizations. Furthermore, when determining the travel route 9, if either attribute information 62 or congestion status 71 is considered, the priority given to which of these two factors may be predetermined or may be arbitrarily selected by the user.

[0132] If there are multiple first available locations 81, the display control unit 233 may display the first available locations 81 for the user to select, and the decision unit 232 may determine the travel route 9 with the first available location 81 selected by the user as the destination 92. For example, the display control unit 233 may display the candidate first available locations 81a and first available locations 81b for the user to select as the destination 92. At this time, the display control unit 233 may also display the handling status 72 of each first available location 81 for the user to see. Furthermore, the user can select multiple first available locations 81. With this configuration, the user can freely select the destination 92 (intermediate locations) while checking the inventory information 721 and availability information 722 of each first available location 81.

[0133] If the decision unit 232 does not have a first available location 81 within a predetermined range from the user's current location or a location specified by the user, it may determine the travel route 9 with the second available location 82 as the destination 92 without asking the user to select a second available location 82 to pass through. In this configuration, even if the first available location 81 does not have a first available location 81 within a predetermined range from the user's current location or a location specified by the user, the user can still receive similar goods or services.

[0134] In the above embodiment, the example shown was when the user requests the purchase of a new "game device Y". However, if the product the user requests is a used "game device Y", the similar product may be a new "game device Y". Also, if the user requests the rental of "game device Y", the destination 92 may be a second available location 82 where "game device Y" can be purchased as the similar product.

[0135] Even if the display control unit 233 can present the first available location 81, it may also display the first available location 81 and the second available location 82 in a way that allows the user to select them. Furthermore, if the first available location 81 is not within a predetermined range, the display control unit 233 may display a discount coupon that can be used when purchasing similar products, etc.

[0136] The decision unit 232 may control the system so as not to set the first available location 81 and the second available location 82, where the "game device Yα" can be provided, as destination 92 if there is a purchase history of "game device Y". The display control unit 233 may control the system so as not to display the first available location 81 and the second available location 82 if there is a purchase history of "game device Y". Furthermore, the decision unit 232 may control the system so as not to set the first available location 81, where the user can purchase the specified product, as destination 92 unless the number of the specified product falls below a certain number based on the user's possessions. In this way, the decision unit 232 can control the system so as not to set the first available location 81 and the second available location 82 as destination 92 based on user information 6.

[0137] Furthermore, the decision unit 232 may, based on user information 6, determine the second available location 82 as the destination 92 even if the first available location 81 can provide the product requested by the user. Specifically, the decision unit 232 may, based on the user's purchase history or the user's possessions, decide not to set the first available location 81 as the destination 92 and instead set the second available location 82 as the destination 92.

[0138] For example, suppose the user's purpose of travel 61 is to purchase "Game Device Y". In this case, even if there is a first available location 81 with "Game Device Y" in stock within a predetermined range from the user's current location or a location specified by the user, the system may decide on a second available location 82 that sells a similar product to "Game Device Y" as the destination 92. For example, if the user has a history of purchasing "Game Device Y" in the past, or if the user owns "Game Device Y" at home, the decision unit 232 will prioritize deciding on the second available location 82 that sells a similar product to "Game Device Y" as the destination 92. This prevents a limited number of users from buying up all of "Game Device Y", allowing many people to purchase "Game Device Y".

[0139] The decision unit 232 may determine the travel route 9 to visit multiple first available locations 81 based on the purpose of travel 61. For example, if "curry rice" is set as the meal menu, the decision unit 232 may identify the ingredients necessary to make curry rice and determine the travel route 9 to visit stores that have the identified ingredients in stock.

[0140] In the above embodiment, the case where the event venue X is the final destination 92 and the first available location 81 is an intermediate stop was shown as an example, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, if the purpose of travel 61 is to purchase goods, the event venue X may be an intermediate destination 92 and the first available location 81 may be the final destination 92.

[0141] In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which, when the user arrives at destination 92, a battle with a boss character is initiated, and the quest is completed when the boss character is defeated. However, the system is not limited to this. For example, the game control unit 235 may automatically terminate the quest when the user arrives at destination 92.

[0142] In the above embodiment, an example was shown where the game progresses to stop if the user does not move according to the movement instructions. However, the game may also progress for the amount of time, steps, or distance the user has moved according to the movement instructions.

[0143] An embodiment of this design may be a program. This program causes a computer to execute each step of the information processing system 1.

[0144] Furthermore, they may be provided in the following embodiments. The information processing system wherein the reference information includes congestion status related to the purpose of travel. In the information processing system, the user information includes attribute information indicating the attributes of the user, and in the determination step, the information processing system determines, based on the attribute information, a travel route in which users with predetermined attributes can come into contact with each other or a travel route in which they cannot come into contact. In the aforementioned information processing system, in the decision step, the information processing system changes the movement path based on the reference information after the start of the movement. Information processing system comprising: an acquisition step, which acquires user information including the user's location information and the goods or services the user requests; a determination step, which determines a travel route to a first available location where the goods or services requested by the user are currently available, based on the user information and the availability status of the goods or services at the location where the goods or services are provided, wherein the availability status indicates at least one of the goods' inventory information and availability information indicating the current availability of the goods or services; and a display step, which displays a travel instruction based on the travel route. In the aforementioned information processing system, if there are multiple first available locations, the system determines the travel route with the first available location that satisfies predetermined conditions as the destination. The information processing system wherein the predetermined condition is that the price of the goods or services is lower than that of any other first place of availability. The information processing system wherein the predetermined condition is at least one of the following: the inventory of the product is greater than that of any other first available location, and the available capacity of the product or service is greater than that of any other first available location. In the information processing system, if there are multiple first available locations, the display step displays the first available locations in a selectable format, and in the decision step, the system determines the travel route with the first available location selected by the user as the destination. The information processing system, wherein in the decision step, if there is no first available location within a predetermined range from the user's current location or a location specified by the user, the system determines the travel route with a second available location as the destination, and the second available location is the location where similar products similar to the product or similar services similar to the service can be provided. In the information processing system, in the display step, if there is no first available location within a predetermined range from the user's current location or a location specified by the user, the second available location is displayed as selectable, and in the determination step, the travel route is determined with the second available location selected by the user as the destination. In the information processing system, in the decision step, if the congestion status of the first available location or the travel route to the first available location is greater than or equal to a threshold, the travel route is determined with at least one of the other first available locations and the second available location as the destination, and the second available location is the location that can provide similar goods similar to the goods or similar services similar to the services. In the information processing system, in the display step, if the congestion status of the first available location or the travel route to the first available location is above a threshold, at least one of the other first available locations and the second available location is displayed for selection, and in the decision step, the travel route is determined with the first available location or the second available location selected by the user as the destination. A program that causes a computer to execute each step of the information processing system. A crowd-avoiding MaaS system, wherein in the acquisition step, user information including the user's location information and the user's purpose of movement is acquired, the purpose of movement includes at least one of purchasing goods and using goods or services; in the determination step, a movement route that can smoothly achieve the purpose of movement is determined based on the user information and MaaS reference information, the MaaS reference information is information indicating mobility related to the purpose of movement; and in the display step, movement instructions based on the movement route are displayed. Of course, this is not always the case.

[0145] Finally, while various embodiments relating to this disclosure have been described, these are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. These novel embodiments can be implemented in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications are permitted without departing from the gist of the disclosure. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and gist of the disclosure, as well as in the disclosures described in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0146] 1: Information Processing System 1: Information Processing System 2: Information Processing Device 20: Communications bus 21: Communications Department 22: Storage section 23: Control Unit 231: Acquisition Department 232: Decision Section 233: Display Control Unit 234: Management Department 235: Game Control Department 3: User terminal 30: Communications bus 31: Communications Department 32: Storage section 33: Control Unit 34:Display section 34a: Graphics Processing Unit 34b: Audio Processing Unit 34c: Operation section 4a: Display 4b: Speaker 4c: Input device 5: Store terminal 6: User Information 60: Location information 61: Purpose of movement 62: Attribute information 7: Reference Information 71: Congestion status 72: Availability 721: Inventory Information 722: Availability information 8: Provided location 800: Icon 801: Icon 802: Icon 81: First available location 81a: First available location 81b: First available location 82:Second available location 9: Travel Route 9a: Travel route 9b: Travel route 9c: Travel route 9d: Travel route 9e: Travel route 91: Departure point 92: Destination 11: Communication Network X: Event venue Y: Game device Yα: Game device Z: Comics

Claims

1. An information processing system, In the acquisition step, user information including the user's location information and the user's purpose of movement is acquired. In the decision step, based on the user information and reference information, the destination and travel route that can achieve the travel objective are determined. The aforementioned reference information is information indicating mobility related to the purpose of movement, In the display step, movement instructions based on the aforementioned movement path are displayed on the game screen, and here The aforementioned movement instructions include instructions for reaching the destination, and, unlike the instructions for reaching the destination, tasks displayed on the game screen along the way to the destination. The aforementioned task includes at least one game mission in which a predetermined action is performed at a predetermined location, In the management step, If the task is not completed during the execution of the mission, the user's use of the game or at least a part of its functions will be restricted. If the mission is achieved by clearing the aforementioned tasks, the mission completion process will be executed, and the use of the game or its functions will not be restricted. Information processing system.

2. In the information processing system described in claim 1, The aforementioned reference information includes congestion status related to the purpose of travel, Information processing system.

3. In the information processing system according to claim 1 or claim 2, The user information includes attribute information indicating the user's attributes, In the aforementioned decision step, based on the attribute information, a travel route is determined in which users with predetermined attributes can come into contact with each other or can not. Information processing system.

4. In the information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, In the aforementioned decision step, after the start of the movement, the movement path is changed based on the reference information. Information processing system.

5. In the information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, In the display step, the number of missions in the movement instructions is increased in accordance with the time required to travel along the movement path. Information processing system.

6. In the information processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, In the display step, the mission corresponding to the congestion status of the travel route is displayed as the travel instruction. Information processing system.

7. It is a program, The computer is made to perform each step of the information processing system described in any one of claims 1 to 6. program.

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